Make it your own, I would say. Put the apple slices on top of the burger or leave it aside with a little lemon squeezed over them and a small grind of pepper. We didn’t meld the blue cheese on top of the burger as we have many to handle 😉 and not all like the blue cheese. I prefer to give my enthusiasts an option, so they can add any extra ingredient themselves. -enjoy-

1. Blue cheese & apple burger

Ingredients (serves 6)

750 g quality minced chuck steak
1 soft round lettuce
1 punnet of cress
2 Braeburn or Cox apples
120 g blue cheese
olive oil
6 burger buns
American mustard

Method

Make the burgers at least an hour before you want to cook them. Divide the mince into 4 portions and work each ball in your hands for a few minutes to melt the fat and mould them into a relatively smooth, round patty. Make them slightly bigger than your bun, as they will shrink when cooked.
Pop them on a tray, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge.
When you’re ready to cook your burgers, get your toppings ready. Pick off, wash and spin dry the lettuce leaves, cut your cress, slice the apples, crumble the blue cheese into chunks, and leave everything to one side.
Preheat your grill to high. Pop a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil to the pan.
Fry the burgers for around 4 minutes on each side if you like them pink in the middle, or longer if you prefer them fully cooked, seasoning the patties with black pepper as you cook them.
Halve and toast the buns under the grill or on a hot griddle, then line them up on a board ready to go.
When the burgers are cooked, top each with the blue cheese and pop under the grill for a couple of minutes until nice and oozy.
Now build your burgers. First layer the salad leaves and apple onto the buns, followed by a good drizzle of mustard.
Pop the burgers on, and top with the cress (a cucumber and chilli relish is great here too). Squish the bun tops on and serve straight away.

2. Bombay potato salad

Ingredients

1.5 kg salad potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon
1 red onion
1 lemon
2 tablespoons mixed seeds, such as pumpkin and poppy
1 bunch of mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint and coriander
1 large handful of fresh peas

Method

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
Leaving the skins on, halve any larger potatoes, then place them all in the water and parboil for 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain, steam dry, then transfer to a roasting tray. Crush slightly with a fork, drizzle with oil, then sprinkle over the cumin seeds and turmeric. Season, toss to coat, and roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
Peel, finely slice and place the onion in a shallow bowl, squeeze over the lemon juice and leave to soak.
Toast the seeds in a dry pan and set aside. Pick and finely chop the herb leaves.
When the potatoes are ready, leave to cool a little, then transfer to a serving bowl. Add the onions, herbs, peas and a drizzle of oil. Toss to coat, then serve sprinkled with the toasted seeds.